Agreements end federal teacher testing fraud case

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Prosecutors say four people caught in a teacher certification test fraud scheme have agreed to stop teaching, ending the federal case involving a long-running scam that affected students in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The U.S. attorney's office in West Tennessee said Tuesday that the four are among 40 teachers who have received diversion agreements for their participation in the test fraud scheme led by Clarence Mumford.

Mumford, a longtime educator, pleaded guilty in February 2013 to arranging for people to take — and pass — Praxis certification tests on behalf of aspiring teachers in the three states.

The teachers then used the scores to get jobs in public schools.

Prosecutors said the scam affected thousands of public school students who ended up being taught by instructors who never qualified for their positions.